Helpful Post: You Can Do It! - From All4JDs

Found here: http://www.all4jds.com/forums/aft/15225.aspx

"Posted By Sunny on 07 Dec 2010 12:56 PM
Preparing for the bar exam can be frustrating. It's frustrating to know that you're sacrificing a large amount of time to study for a test that you may not pass. I want to offer a few words of encouragement and advice to those of you preparing for the exam.

1: You can do it! Think about how far you have come. You graduated from college AND law school. This is not to mention all of the standardized tests and exams you had to take and the papers you had to write. Most people cannot claim these accomplishments. Don't let an exam that is written in such a way to weed many people out cause you to lose sight of all that you have accomplished!

2: Bar review courses may not be the way to go. I didn't do BarBri, PMBR or any other bar review course. Well, that's not entirely true. I bought the red and blue PMBR books used from someone on craigslist. I did every single question in both books TWICE.

3: Don't waste time. I wasted so much time, at first,making flash cards and outlines. WASTE! Highlight the answers you get wrong and move one. Read what you highlight weekly. Look up the law you don't understand and find someone (someone with no legal knowledge) to explain it to. Repeat the questions that you get wrong, 1-2 weeks after you got them wrong.

4: Don't wast time reading outlines. You don't have to read outlines multiple times. I only read the Conviser outline once. I bought PMBR CDs for the MBE topics from Craigslist and listened to them over and over again. Eventually, it sticks like a song that you hear over and over.Remember: YOU KNOW THIS STUFF ALREADY!

5: Application! Application! Application! This is the most important. You have to apply the law in order to really know it. Doing lots of multiples is the key.

6: Don't neglect the essay portion. A lot of people put this off until the end. Not a good idea IMO. From the beginning, I read several essay questions and answers each night. I did this in cycles and repeated the questions 3 times. Again, repetition caused the desired writing style and answers to stick. You can know the law, but if you don't give the graders what they want and how they want it, you will not get maximum number of points.

7: Do what works for you. There are lots of people offering there advice here. Most of them mean well. However, they can be misleading and confusing. I'm here just offering my unsolicited advice because I know how some of you feel and I want to help. But maybe what worked for me may not work for you. In the end, you have to figure out what kind of leaner you are, what you are lacking, and a good study plan.

8: Pray! I prayed a lot. This brought me much comfort and calmed my nerves. God cares for you and will help you if you lean on Him.

9: Laugh and Cry! I actually cried more than I laughed because I was tired, frustrated, depressed, broke... And while am still feeling some of the same emotions, I am happy that the bar exam is behind me. Hang in there because soon it will be behind you too. Best wishes."